Mike Horn of the Seawind of Battery project has an uncanny way of turning our darkest moments into something positive and cheerful. In 2022, he accomplished this with his project’s debut LP, Clockwatching, which took the painful isolation of the pandemic era and turned it into something beautiful.
Horn has done it again with East Coast Cosmic Dreamscaper, his latest record, due for release on August 2nd. The soothing ambient country of Seawind of Battery’s previous releases is present in the new LP, but Horn also moves in exciting new directions. There are electronic dance beats and lush arrangements with a fullness of sound Horn and lap steel player Jarrod Annis didn’t delve into as much before.
As Keith of Record Crates United says in the liner notes, East Coast Cosmic Dreamscaper also moves at a quicker pace. Clockwatching was more so made to soothe and perhaps simulate the trauma and loneliness of the pandemic, while this new LP provides a beacon of more frenetic hope in an equally dark time.
Since Mike and Jarrod released Clockwatching in 2022, they’ve been busy with Seawind of Battery. The duo has gigged in the U.K. and across Europe, and they’ve jammed with luminaries of today’s cosmic music underground, like Emergency Group and Matt LaJoie. With East Coast Cosmic Dreamscaper, Seawind of Battery provides us with glimmers of light when we need it the most.
The six-track LP starts with “Blood Moon,” as the shimmering sounds slowly usher in Mike’s dreamy vision. The twang of his guitar echoes against a backdrop of ethereal electronic pulses before the tempo pumps up. Like other tracks on the record, Mike channels a vibe that feels very post-rock.
Next up is “New Moon,” continuing the lunar thematic element. This was one of the most surprising songs for me because of its sheer upbeat buoyancy. Mike taps into an optimism on “New Moon” in a track grounded in his usual cosmic elements but extends beyond where he’s gone before.
Side A closes with “Supernatural,” another song with futuristic sound effects that create a cinematic listening experience. Unlike “New Moon,” “Supernatural” is more subdued, but the sound is still full, lively, and exploding with color.
“Maze of Roses” leans more into experimental folk territory with Mike’s gentle acoustic guitar strumming. Jarrod’s lap steel adds an excellent cosmic touch to a song brimming with nostalgia and longing.
“Dreamscaper” is another surprise, featuring an electro-dum beat that keeps up with Mike’s celestial guitar style. The guitar lends an organic texture to the otherwise synthetic soundscapes of “Dreamscaper,” which makes for exciting and inspiring listening. “Stay” blends mesmerizing guitar with swirling psychedelia, gently closing out Side B.
East Coast Cosmic Dreamscaper is like a sonic manifesto for Seawind of Battery, as the duo state their case that we shouldn’t lose hope. Each track is a waypoint, a star on a map guiding the listener to explore the things that scare us but also bring us joy and wonder. If you’re looking for innovative music brimming with dreamy textures, look no further than this new record.
Check out East Coast Cosmic Dreamscaper by Seawind of Battery on Bandcamp here.
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